What you need to know about the Nissan PlayStation GT Academy

Japanese car maker Nissan andSony’s PlayStation today launched GT Academy, a driver
discovery and development programme, in India.

The Nissan PlayStation GT Academy, which operates invarious countries including Russia and the US, will choose sixcontestants from India to participate in the InternationalRace Camp at Silverstone in the UK.

1. What is the Academy?
Nissan and PlayStation came together almost five years ago to launch the academy. The idea is to provide a platform where any ordinary human being can experience a racing car environment. But to get there, you have to take part in a competition.

2. I am 60. Can I participate?
Yes. Anyone above 18 can.

[caption id=“attachment_74435” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Karun Chandhok and Lucas Ordonez at the launch of the Nissan PlayStation GT Academy. Photo: Amit Verma[/caption]

3. What’s the competition?
You need to show your racing skills on the PlayStation. So basically, you have to be good at playing Grand Turismo on a PS3. If you do well, you move to territory and national finals. Twenty-eight people from the qualifying rounds will enter the national finals. Six out of these 28 will go to an international race camp in Silverstone, the UK.

4. What if I have never raced a real car in my life?
No problem. In fact, people with past professional racing experience do not qualify.

5. I have made it to the top Six; am I a racer already?
No dude. You will have to undergo a five-day intensive physical and mental training. Then you race. The winner gets an international racing licence. The winner can then participate in an international race as a Nismo racing driver. (Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company.)

6. That sounds good. How do I participate in the competition?
Nissan will be holding live events in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad starting now. These will be held in shopping malls.

7. Do you know anybody in India who’s done this before?
No. The GT just got to India. Still, if you need a role model, look up this Spaniard called Lucas Ordonez. Ordonez was a boring MBA kinda guy before he got into the GT Academy. He is now driving real racing cars.

With inputs from PTI